Disappointed with AU

[Geoffrey]

PLEASE NOTE: I'm not saying that I've been lied to or jipped. I'm just disappointed.

I understood that Arcana Unearthed was going to be a stand-alone game, that I didn't need the DMG or the MM. However, AU support products (such as the Diamond Throne) are assuming that you own the DMG and the MM (which I don't). I think the AU concept and setting are great and they deserve to have their own (and only their own) monsters, magic items, etc. I don't think that non-AU sources should be necessary to fully use AU products. If someone wants to add non-AU stuff to his AU game, fine. If Monte wants to provide conversion notes, fine. But this kind of thing should be completely optional and not assumed. Any product that says "Arcana Unearthed" on it should not require the use of any non-AU products.

 

[Pevishan]

I understood that Arcana Unearthed was going to be a stand-alone game, that I didn't need the DMG or the MM. However, AU support products (such as the Diamond Throne) are assuming that you own the DMG and the MM (which I don't).

Maybe at the very begining it was advertised as standalone, but all of the propaganda I recall states that it is an alternetive PH, which would imply the need for the DMG & MM.

BTW, they are coming out with a MM-type book for AU.

 

[Ranger REG]

I thought the marketing plan is to make a standalone core rule set, i.e., AU Player's Handbook, AU Game Master's Guide, and AU Monster Encyclopedia.

Ask Monte Cook on his messageboards.

 

[gariig]

Use the SRD? Most of the stuff reference to the DMG are in the SRD like situation modifiers and conditions.

Gariig

 

[darkbard]

monte has said numerous times that he has no plans to "re-write" the DMG and MM for the AU rules set. that said, yes there will be a monsters book that he is currently designing with darren drader. but said book is more of a supplement than a replacement for the MM. there are still plenty of critters from the MM running around in an AU world.

i certainly cannot understand where you got the notion that AU would not require use of the DMG and MM [assuming you really even need these for a 3.x game]. monte has said all along that AU was an alternate player's handbook, not an entire game system unto itself.

 

[Varianor Abroad]

monte has said numerous times that he has no plans to "re-write" the DMG and MM for the AU rules set. that said, yes there will be a monsters book that he is currently designing with darren drader.

Uhh, do you mean Mike Mearls? He's the one listed to co-write The Legacy of Dragons for Malhavoc.

 

[darkbard]

uhhh, yeah. one of those alliteratively named designers.

 

[Ranger REG]

i certainly cannot understand where you got the notion that AU would not require use of the DMG and MM [assuming you really even need these for a 3.x game]. monte has said all along that AU was an alternate player's handbook, not an entire game system unto itself.

IMHO...

Well, considering that he wrote AU under the OGL but not the d20 Trademark License, he cannot refer to WotC's products, including the DMG and MM.

And if any newbie who is not exposed to D&D but is exposed to AU, he or she is not going to make the connection to D&D at all, unless Monte Cook have special permission to do so (a different trademark use agreement), and it is specifically mentioned in his AU product.

If you're not going to use the d20 Trademark License, it is better to assume the possibility that not all your potential customer have prior experience nor knowledge of D&D.

Otherwise, it's better for him to make them as standalone product line. Now the AU Player's Handbook should have been a core rulebook with both player's and GM's sections, but what's done is done. The alternative player's handbook is out, so you might as well make one for the GM to help run the game.

 

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

It says "A Variant Player's Handbook" on the front. Seems pretty self-explanatory to me. I never heard anything about redoing the DMG for it, but IMO you don't really need to. About the only thing I ever crack the DMG open for nowadays is the magic item lists, but the amount of work it would take to convert many of those items to AU wouldn't be worth it. Just use the new magic items creation rules to make your own, and pick up Diamond Throne for a list of some very good new items made using the AU rules.

As has been said before, the SRD is your friend when it comes to core books you don't want to buy.

 

[Berandor]

He used the OGL to print character creation rules and the like, not to make a new DMG.
That said, the only thing you need would be the DMG, as there will be a Monster book, and even then that can be gleaned from the SRD.

However, I am sorry that you feel disappointed in AU. I hope you find some use out of it still - I like it very muchly.

Berandor